Apple announced changes to the App Store and iPhone in Japan to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act. These changes include allowing alternative app marketplaces and payment options, while maintaining user security through Notarization reviews and parental controls. Additionally, iOS 26.2 introduces new platform features like default control management, browser and search engine choice screens, and APIs for developers.

  • After updating to. iOS 26.2, iPhone users in Japan can go to the Settings app to manage default controls for navigation apps and app marketplaces. Additionally, users in Japan will see a new browser choice screen and search engine choice screen.

    Default navigation app selection is pretty nice. From what I understand iOS has had the option to change default browsers for a while, so I guess the "browser choice screen" is just a way to put that option in front of people who otherwise wouldn't know?

    parent

    The browser thing is because they allow browsers that don't use Webkit now.

    When I updated to iOS26, the first screen was a browser selection screen.

    I have AltStore installed now, with Fortnite, finally.

    parent root

    Haven't they allowed Chrome on iOS for a while? I'm sure I've seen my partner use it before...

    I mean I know browser engine lineages sometimes reads like incestuous hillbillies, but I thought Chrome was far enough away from Webkit that it would sit outside?

    So this basically means people could download and use Firefox now?

    parent root

    Until now all browsers on iOS were (at the risk of oversimplifying) Safari with a coat of paint. It might say Chrome or Firefox or Edge, but Apple required that all browser apps for iOS had to have a WebKit foundation. What this rule change permits is for Mozilla, Google, et al. to bring over their own rendering engine if they wanted to.

    parent root

    Ahh! Didn't realize Chrome was a sheep in Safari clothing on iOS. Appreciate the explain.

    from an Android user >.<

    parent root

    Safari in sheep's clothing would be more accurate

    parent root

    Chrome on iOS is different from Chrome on other platforms. On iOS it's just a glorified skin on top of Webkit.

    It's like how Japanese Denny's is totally different from American Denny's, despite both having the same name and a similar aesthetic.

    parent root

    So we can get firefox with adblocking?

    parent root

    Changing your browser is different than changing the web rendering engine, which this article seems to indicate is now an option. Historically it's been the case that all web browsers on iOS need to use Safari's same rendering engine under the hood instead of their own (like Chrome and Firefox use on other platforms).

    parent root

  • So Japan allows side loading like EU now or is it just 3rd party app stores?

    parent

    I’ve been sideloading with AltStore for a while without issue, on both my eu account that I changed to Japanese and also on an account that always been in Japanese region

    parent root

  • I guess we’ll get there Epic Store at some point too.

    parent

  • I got the notification for the default browser selection last week after updating, but nothing else so far. Are we supposed to manually change these because I cannot find out where to do so.

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  • So a third party foreign camera APP can get rid of the shutter sound in JP iPhones?

    parent

    Asking for a friend?

    parent root

    No. It's better to have another source of used iPhones on eBay. (after US version completely removes physical SIM card slot, the choices became limited. JP version was not preferable solely because of the compulsory shutter sound.)

    parent root

    shutter sound is disabled as soon you install a non japanese SIM/eSIM

    parent root